Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

"That's still good."

Xilun closed his eyes and began to adjust his breathing rhythm.

In his memory, the situation in those distant colonies, such as the Spice Islands of the Southern Continent or the Silk Road ports of the East, was a hundred times more brutal than here. The people there could not even be called human beings; they were merely talking livestock, bought, sold, slaughtered, and enslaved at will.

At least under the fig leaf of Saint Laurent in this foggy city, there is still so-called law and civilization.

Xilun silently calculated in his heart.

Although he now has some self-protection ability thanks to the "black scale pattern," he is still as fragile as an infant in the face of truly extraordinary power.

If we don't become stronger as soon as possible, no one can guarantee that the next one to have their internal organs ripped out and be wrapped in straw mats won't be themselves.

As the "Iron Wall Breathing Method" was activated, wisps of warm air began to gather in Xilun's lower abdomen.

He cleared his mind of all distractions and focused all his attention on circulating qi and blood within his body.

Outside the window, the cold wind howled, as if countless dead souls were wailing in the night.

In the dilapidated dormitory, Xilun's breathing became increasingly steady and deep, like a giant beast gathering strength in hibernation.

Silent all night.

The next morning, when the first rays of hazy sunlight pierced through the fog and shone through the window, the body downstairs was gone.

I don't know if they were taken away by the patrol officers or thrown directly into the stinking ditch.

......

Bang!

A dull thud echoed in the corner of the training room.

Sweat dripped down Xilun's resolute chin, hitting the floor and shattering into eight pieces.

The man opposite him, Kemi, was like an enraged bull, his towering 1.9-meter-tall frame casting a massive shadow and looming over him.

The humanoid beast roared, its thick, beam-like arms sweeping across, the force of which stung people's skin.

The ever-growing fist was reflected in Xilun's pupils. His dark eyes were calm and still, as if it were not a heavy blow that could shatter rocks, but a falling feather.

Just as the fist was about to touch his nose, Xiren moved.

Unlike before, when they clashed head-on, his body slid strangely to the left, his right foot gripping the ground like an iron plow, his spine tensing instantly with a crisp crack.

Turn sideways and cut in.

Xilun's left arm, like a slippery venomous snake, coiled up Kemi's thick forearm, his five fingers instantly gripping the opponent's elbow joint.

"hiss--"

Kemi gasped, half of her body instantly going numb.

Before he could react, Xilun's right leg lashed out like a whip, striking him precisely in the back of the knee.

puff.

The mountain of flesh collapsed with a roar, kneeling on one knee, shaking the floor.

Xiren did not stop; his movements were fluid and without any unnecessary flourishes.

Taking advantage of Kemi's loss of balance, he lunged forward, locking his hands around the other man's neck and right arm like iron clamps, and using his body weight to press down hard.

Standard police grappling technique: guillotine combined with joint lock.

If he exerted just a little more force, Kemi's cervical spine would break like a dry tree branch.

[Successfully delivered a strike using combat techniques. Police combat skills experience +1!]

[Successfully delivered a strike using combat techniques. Police combat skills experience +1!]

[Successfully delivered a strike using combat techniques. Police combat skills experience +1!]

......

[Skill: Police Combat Techniques (Beginner)]

[Progress: 3/100]

【Characteristics: Close-quarters combat, fierce fighting style, and exceptional stamina!】

On the retina, a deep red stream of data cascaded down like a waterfall.

Xilun released his grip, leaped back two steps, and created a safe distance.

This feeling is wonderful.

The moves, which were originally a bit clumsy and awkward, were now imprinted into muscle memory as if by a red-hot branding iron.

The body no longer needs the brain to issue commands to instinctively make optimized and more ruthless responses.

This is what "getting started" means.

It was no longer just imitation; he had truly grasped some of the essence of this killing technique.

"Damn it!"

Kemi rubbed her sore neck and grimaced as she got up from the ground.

He looked at the thin young man in front of him, who was a head shorter than him, with a look in his eyes as if he had seen a ghost.

"Sirlen, what did you eat to grow up like this?"

Kemi complained, plopping down on the floor and panting heavily, her chest heaving like a bellows. "It's only the third day! How did your movements become so sharp?"

Just a few days ago, he was able to dominate Xilun by relying on his strength and power.

Although the kid's skin was as hard as if it were covered with a layer of iron, making it painful to hit, Kemi felt that he had the upper hand in terms of technique.

But today, he couldn't hold on for more than three minutes.

That feeling is like facing a hedgehog; hitting it directly hurts, but getting pricked hurts even more.

It's so frustrating.

Xilun stood still, adjusting his breathing.

"It's probably because the practice paid off."

"Sirlen said casually, grabbing a towel hanging on the fence and wiping the sweat from his face," he said calmly.

Kemi rolled her eyes, took the water bottle handed to her by the person next to her, and took a big gulp.

"Practice? I'm practicing too."

Water dripped down the corner of his mouth, wetting his training clothes on his chest.

Kemi wiped her mouth, her eyes somewhat bewildered: "I've been training for over two months too. I mastered the breathing techniques earlier than you, and I haven't neglected my fighting skills either. How come it feels like... in just two days I'll be completely left behind by you?"

He genuinely couldn't understand it.

In terms of talent, although he can't compare to a monster like Robert, he is still considered to be in the middle to upper range among this batch of trainees.

In terms of resources, his family owns a bakery. Although they are not extremely wealthy, they have plenty of milk and eggs every day, and occasionally they can even eat beef.

But when faced with Siron, a coolie who had crawled out of the dock slums, he felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

Xilun walked to the window and pushed it open a crack.

The stale, cold air from outside rushed in, washing away the smell of sweat from my body.

He turned around, looked at the dejected Kemi, and suddenly asked, "How many hours do you train each day?"

"how long?"

Kemi paused for a moment, then started counting on his fingers, calculating seriously.

"I get up at seven in the morning to help deliver goods to my family's bakery. It's physical work, but I guess it's good exercise?"

"After lunch at the shop, I need to take a nap, otherwise I won't have any energy in the afternoon."

"I come to the club at 2 PM and practice until 5 PM."

As she said this, a gentle smile appeared on Kemi's face, as if she was thinking of something wonderful.

"Go back at five o'clock, take a shower and change clothes, then pick up Mary from get off work. She's a textile factory worker who was recently promoted to team leader, and she has a terrible temper."

Kemi kept rambling on, her tone tinged with a sweet complaint.

"Take her shopping, have dinner with her, and sometimes even see a movie. You know, women always need to be pampered."

"By the time we got her home, it was almost eight o'clock."

"When I get home, I will practice breathing techniques for another hour. Instructor Ryan said that practicing breath control before bed is the most effective."

Kemi sighed and scratched her hair in distress.

"Mary has been urging me a lot lately. She said I should make a name for myself in the club as soon as possible, even if I can't become a baptist, as long as I can become a small leader in some gang or chamber of commerce, that would be fine too."

She said that we should talk about marriage after I have a decent job.

"Our current house is too small; it won't be enough room for children in the future. I want to buy a second-hand house with a yard on the outskirts of the city, but I'll need to save up for the down payment for another two or three years..."

Kemi was immersed in planning and anxiety about the future.

This is the life of most ordinary people.

There are things to worry about, things to look forward to, troubles, and little moments of happiness.

For them, practicing breathing techniques is a professional skill that enhances their competitiveness and a stepping stone to a better life, but it is by no means their entire life.